The customer experience I received from Simmons Automotive surpassed my expectations. My engine overheated as I was driving through Tacoma on my way to Seattle in the middle of the night and I rolled in to the nearest shop I could find. A mechanic promptly called me in the morning and they were able to get my car in right away. Zach called me throughout the day updating me on the status of the cost of the repair, which was completed that day. When I arrived to the shop to pick up my car, both mechanics introduced themselves and shook my hand, maintaining the positive attitude, personableness, and professionalism I had experienced over the phone. I ended up needing $65 in parts and $60 in labor to fix the problem which was fairly priced. The sole reason for my 1-star deduction was for a $100 charge for the shop to "confirm and diagnose engine overheating" which I felt was extensive. Overall, I would certainly recommend Simmons Automotive to anyone searching for a repair shop in Tacoma; they met and exceeded their goal to provide "service with integrity".
Thank you Cara for your review and insight. We strive to be the most technologically relevant and fairly-priced shop in town; not necessarily the cheapest, but always to provide our customers with the most value for their dollar. What we failed to perfect in your case was our explanation of our cooling system diagnosis and testing procedure and related charge. Since you had overheated (no question there) we wanted to be certain you had not damaged the engine so the charge included pressure testing, checking for electrolysis, followed by a chemical block-test which detects the presence of combustion chamber gasses in the cooling system which can indicate a blown head gasket or cracked cylinder head. Thankfully, your car passed with flying colors. The "Confirm & diagnose engine overheating" is a canned labor operation title that we have since updated to "Confirm cooling system integrity following reported overheat event." Thank you for bringing this discrepancy to our attention. It is your attention to detail and willingness to contact us with your concern that helps us remain the best shop in Tacoma. With Sincere Appreciation, Dean Simmons
- Simmons Automotive